Kokushoku no Christmas!
by Rabukurafuto
Summary: Just because you're evil doesn't mean you can't feel the Christmas spirit! The wicked Foncé Ying is helping to prepare a nice Christmas for her friends, but a strange new Devil claiming to be her fiancé shows up!
1. Level 1: Les Anges Dans Nos Campagnes

**黒色のクリスマス!**

**_Kokushoku no Christmas!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zorcu and Jeeno are property of Rahkshi500._

_Author's note: It is strongely recomended that you read "Kokushoku no Foncé!" before this, if only to understand the events leading up to this story._

* * *

**Level 1: レ・ザンジュ・ダン・ノ・カンパーニュ**

**Level 1: Les Anges Dans Nos Campagnes**

The sky was heavy and overcast that day, more so than usual. The air was crisp and cold with the advent of winter replacing autumn. It was silent that December day, not even a breeze stirring the heavy woods.

Just how the ones standing in the woods liked it.

A thin boy of about sixteen with thick messy black hair and wearing heavier clothes than he was used to in order to protect him from the cold stood still. In his hand was a large open dark purple hardbound book. Its words were a language only he could understand. The boy's eyes were on a passage he hadn't read before. He smiled grimly as tried to imagine what the passage might mean.

"Are you ready?" asked his companion, a girl of about seven. She was deathly pale, like a porcelain doll, and had short silky black hair. She wore a fine black dress adorned with black silk ribbons. Strangely, each joint on her hands ware defined by thin black lines.

"I'm always ready," the boy said. "Here comes the next one!"

The girl thrust her left hand out and pointed to a thick old tree, her palm facing out. She smiled in anticipation—it had been four thousand years since anyone read the passage the boy was about to read aloud. "Do it Ken! Read it to me!"

The boy grinned. From the girl's excitement he knew this was going to be a good one. He would read this one with gusto. He took a deep breath, exhaled. He was ready.

"_Jaurro_ _Anheiruga!_"

A small ring of crackling black energy appeared in her palm. It floated away from her hand and rapidly expanded to a huge size. The black ring revolved in the air, arcs of black lightening dancing along it. Then eleven curved rays of concentrated dark energy emanated from the ring. The rays had a tight corkscrew shape. They swept forward and struck the tree simultaneously. There was a black flash and an eerily quiet explosion, and the grand old tree was blown to grayish toothpicks. The black ring had disappeared.

The boy, Ken Bak, stared. "_That's_ Jaurro Anheiruga? Sweet!"

The girl, Foncé Ying, smiled proudly. "That was my favorite spell in my Rosé incarnation. _Fantastique_, no?"

"_Trés fantastique!_" an older girl sitting on a nearby rock exclaimed. She had long spiky blond hair and wore a dark blue robe and a dark blue witch's hat. Both hat and robe were decorated with silver astrological symbols. She also had dark blue elbow-length gloves.

Foncé turned and gave a bow. "Thank you kindly, Ishtar."

"Ishtar!" Ken snapped. "What are you doing here? Don't you know how dangerous some of Foncé's spells are?"

Ishtar hopped off her rock and walked to Foncé and Ken. "I just had to see Foncé's magnificent dark power for myself!"

Ken sighed. "Ishtar, we're practicing with some of Foncé's strongest spells here. You might accidentally get injured or even sent back to the World of Devils."

"Her book isn't here Ken," Foncé retorted. "And we Devils are much sturdier than you humans."

Ishtar's eyes grew large and dewy. "Oh Foncé!" she gushed. "You always defend me! How kind my dear Azula is!"

Foncé smiled slyly. "And how loyal my dear Ty Lee is."

_What's with these two?_ Ken asked himself. Something cold suddenly touched his cheek, and he slapped a hand to his face.

"Is something wrong Ken?" Foncé asked.

"I think it's starting to rain," Ken answered. He pulled his hand away to find a drop of cold water on his fingers. Then a tiny white shape landed into his open palm. He blinked, and looked straight up into the gray sky above. More cold white flakes were beginning to drift down to Earth. Foncé and Ishtar followed his gaze.

"It's not raining," Ken said absently. "It's snowing."

* * *

"The language sure has changed over the years," said Griffon, an exceptionally pale man with long white hair. He was sitting in a chair, turning through a modern-day French edition of the Holy Bible. 

"It certainly has," replied Yadau, a handsome red-haired teenager, peering over Griffon's shoulder. "A lot can change over a thousand years, especially with humans and their tiny lives."

Griffon tossed the bible onto a table next to him. He dropped his chin into his hands, a depressed look on his face. "It's very frightening to me. I don't think I'll ever be able to adjust to the customs and language now. I can only communicate through you, Yadau."

Yadau smiled, and placed a friendly hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'll help you, and I'm sure Lady Serpenté and her current incarnation's brother will be all too glad to help. After all, they see you as valuable. Lady Serpenté in particular is curious about the role you played in her incarnation's father's research."

Griffon looked away. "I'm sure whatever Lady Serpenté knows exceeds what Sabré and I accomplished."

"For the most part that is true. However, you achieved the type of immortality Lady Serpenté and Lord Fudimo failed to achieve."

"Yes, but at the cost of craving flesh blood and meat."

"All An'uuto feel like that. Don't worry too much about that."

* * *

"So this 'Christmas' is a 'day of shopping'?" 

Aoi, a thin, buxom girl of sixteen with orange hair, smiled and nodded. "That's right! A celebration of shopping and money and cookies and…more shopping!"

Princesa, a tall, slim, full-figured Devil girl with dark skin and a mature face, furiously wrote this fact down in her journal on human culture. "Most fascinating," her murmured.

They were in Aoi's room at the castle. Aoi sat on her bed while Princesa sat on a chair.

"So I must purchase material goods in order to participate in Christmas?"

"Yup. Better give some of those things to me. Part of Christmas is giving stuff to people you like, and you like me, right?"

Princesa glanced at Aoi. "You are my bookkeeper; nothing more."

"So cold," muttered Aoi, and she wondered once again why she couldn't have gotten a horny male Devil she could easily manipulate with her good looks.

* * *

"Zorcu! Come quick!" cried Jeanette "Jeeno" Chanel, a pretty twelve-year-old girl with short, soft brown hair and a gray sweater. Zorcu, a short boy with pale yellow hair and a purple hooded jacket, came running through the halls of Château de Fouché. He came to a screeching halt next to Jeeno. 

"What is it?" he asked.

Jeeno pointed through a wide picture window. Snowflakes could be seen falling lazily from the sky. It was beginning to pile up on the village of Auseuil, France. "It's it beautiful Zorcu? I haven't seen snow in a long time!"

"I guess it's nice," he said.

"Ah," said a voice behind them, "it's that time of year again."

Zorcu and Jeeno turned to find Lord Pierre Fouché, a short man in French military dress and the castellan of Château de Fouché, smiling behind them. "Christmas has come to Auseuil once again!"

Zorcu looked puzzled. "Christmas?" he asked.

"It's the happiest time of year here!" said Jeeno. "I'm so glad you'll get to experience it with me."

Fouché began to sing a song in his reedy voice.

_Les anges dans nos campagnes_

_Ont entonné l'hymne des cieux,_

_Et l'écho de nos montagnes_

Redit ce chant mélodieux:

_Gloria in excelsis Deo!_

_Gloria in excelsis Deo!_

Jeeno clapped her hands in delight, and sang the next part.

_Bergers, pour qui cette fête?_

_Quel est l'objet de tous ces chants?_

_Quel vainqueur, quelle conquête_

_Mérite ces cris triomphants:_

_Gloria in excelsis Deo!_

_Gloria in excelsis Deo!_

"You have a marvelous voice," said Fouché. "Let's sing the rest together!"

"Alright!" Jeeno agreed.

_Ils annoncent la naissance_

_Du libérateur d'Israël_

_Et pleins de reconnaissance_

_Chantent en ce jour solennel:_

_Gloria in excelsis Deo! _

_Gloria in excelsis Deo! _

_Cherchons tous l'heureux village_

_Qui l'a vu naître sous ses toits_

_Offrons-lui le tendre homage_

_Et de nos cœurs et de nos voix:_

_Gloria in excelsis Deo!_

_Gloria in excelsis Deo! _

_Bergers, quittez vos retraites,_

_Unissez-vous à leurs concerts,_

_Et que vos tendres musettes_

_Fassent retenir les airs:_

_Gloria in excelsis Deo!_

_Gloria in excelsis Deo!_

"I love that song," Jeeno said after finishing.

"I still don't get it," said Zorcu. "What's this 'Christmas' you keep talking about?"

"That's right," said Fouché. "I forget at times that you come from another world. Maybe we should gather all of the Devils up and explain Christmas to them."

"Good idea!" chirped Jeeno. "It will be fun explaining the holidays to everyone."

She suddenly hugged her Devil tightly.

"Oh Zorcu, this will be the best Christmas ever!"

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: Here's a new story from me everyone! It's a side story to events in "Kokushoku no Foncé!" I wrote this a while back, but FanFiction Dot Net wouldn't let me upload any documents for the longest time! All is well now though._


	2. Level 2: Christmas

**_Kokushoku no Christmas!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zorcu and Jeeno are property of Rahkshi500._

* * *

**Chapter II: The Best Christmas Ever**

"Is everyone here?" asked Jeeno.

Fouché looked around the sitting room. "No, we're missing someone."

"What are we here for again?" Aoi asked impatiently.

Mistera Cellini, a busty red-haired woman in an upscale-looking red dress, reclined in a chair and sighed. "This had better be important. I was just enjoying a nice cappuccino and a novel in bed. Now why can't we get to the point of this meeting now?"

"Because we're not all here," Jeeno answered. "I'm just not sure who's missing…"

"Imité and Squalor," Princesa replied without looking up from a slim paperback.

"In my opinion," said Foncé conversationally, "you look better with red hair than platinum blonde, Miss Cellini."

"Yeah," Ken agreed. "Blonde hair is overrated. Girls are hotter with black, brown, or red any day."

Mistera looked surprised and a little frightened. "Oh, all right Miss Ying! Whatever you think looks good!" She sounded worried.

Foncé sighed. "Miss Cellini, you may have pledged yourself in servitude to me, but that doesn't mean we can't be friends. I'm not some dark empress of evil who kills my minions just because I don't like the way they look. I'm just not that type of dark empress of evil. I need good morale, and good morale means keeping you relatively happy."

"Oh! That's good to know!" Mistera said.

Ishtar put her hands to her corn-yellow hair in panic. "You don't like my hair color?!" she cried. "Do you want me get a style closer to Ty Lee's?!"

Foncé looked at the stiff yellow spikes of hair that grew crazily from Ishtar's head. "Ishtar, I wasn't talking to you. You look fine. Besides, how would it be possible to get that hair to look even _remotely_ like Ty Lee's? She has soft brown hair done into a long braided ponytail. You have hair that looks like your head began to explode but stopped halfway."

Ishtar's eyes grew wide and starry. "You mean…you _like_ my hair?" She began to play with the long spikes of yellow hair that stuck out from the back of her head and reached her to her lower back.

"Who's this Ty Lee you keep talking about?" asked Ken.

Before either Foncé or Ishtar could answer there was a thunderous crash, which could only be the front doors being flung up. Fouché visibly shuddered at the sound of his doors being slammed open and closed.

"Oh lord, do I hate this time of year!" a cranky scratchy voice screeched from the hallway. "Why does it have to _snow_ now?!"

Loud stomping sounds could be heard, and another door slammed shut. Then Imité Ying came into the sitting room, shivering with snow still clinging to his slender body and hair. He wasn't dressed at all appropriately for the wintertime. He looked very similar to his younger sister: slim build, long black hair, defined joints, violet eyes, and pale skin. Unlike Foncé, he had what looked like black eye shadow applied beneath his eyes. It was actually a natural feature of his face.

He looked around at the meeting for a few seconds. "I hope you don't need Squalor here," he said dryly. "He's not in the best of moods right now."

"That's okay," Jeeno answered with a small smile. "I mostly just want to speak with our Devils."

Imité sat on a couch next to Princesa. "Can I have a blanket?" he asked.

Princesa took the blanket she had over her lap and handed it to Imité. "Thanks," Imité said as he gratefully took it. Princesa gave him just the slightest nod before returning to her book.

"We're here to discuss something called 'Christmas'," said Zorcu. "Jeeno thought it was important that all the Devils learn about this holiday."

"Christmas?" Princesa set her book aside. "My bookkeeper already informed me of Christmas. It is the human day of shopping."

Jeeno giggled. "Oh, there's much more than—"

"Christmas is a time for family, friends, and general merriment," Mistera answered. "It's a holiday of happiness."

"Well, that's true," said Jeeno. "But—"

"Family?" Ken scoffed. "Christmas is a time of _romance_ and eating well! You get some presents too, but New Years is the _real _holiday."

Jeeno looked a little annoyed. "It's—"

"It's the day you get presents!" Aoi spoke up. "Lots and lots of presents! Big things, small things, tall things, short things! _All_ things!"

"_No!_" Jeeno cried out, exasperated. "You're all missing the point!"

"I don't know," Zorcu said. "All those things sounded like good holiday ideas to me. What's the problem?"

"The problem," said Fouché, "is that no one here touched upon the _reason_ behind Christmas yet, and Miss Chanel is being allowed to speak."

"Silence," Foncé hissed. The group fell quiet at the sound her tone. Even Yadau and Griffon, who had not been adding anything to the argument, stiffened and looked to Foncé.

Foncé smiled in a sickeningly sweet way to Jeeno. "Please explain to us about Christmas, Miss Chanel," she said.

Jeeno was disturbed by Foncé's dodgy smile, but she composed herself. "Christmas is the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ," she said.

The Devils gave her a blank look.

"The Son of God?" Jeeno asked, looking for some recognition.

She got another blank look.

Mistera began to snicker. "Well little girl," she said condescendingly, "there's not much use in trying to convert Devils to Christianity since they don't have God where they come from! Now don't you feel silly?"

"I just explained why Christmas is celebrated!" Jeeno cried out. "I wasn't trying to convert anyone!"

"Just like a good little Catholic," Mistera sneered.

Fouché scowled. "I wouldn't talk like that in Auseuil. The majority here is Roman Catholic."

"Of course it is—what do you expect in a backwards throwback to the Dark Ages like this!" Mistera laughed.

Fouché clenched his jaw in anger. Foncé noticed and decided to do something about it.

"That's enough Miss Cellini," Foncé said in a low tone. Mistera clamped a hand over her mouth and sank into her seat, looking scared.

Turning back to Jeeno, Foncé smiled and said, "Well, that was very interesting. You know, this Christmas holiday sounds like it's connected to happiness no matter who describes it. Perhaps we can…oh, I don't know…try to merge all of our concepts of Christmas together to make everyone happy?"

Jeeno brightened. "You mean, you want to celebrate?"

"Of course I do, Miss Chanel," Foncé answered. "Several different traditions and cultures combined to create the ultimate Christmas. Family, romance, presents, Jesus—we'll have it all."

"That's a _splendid_ idea!" Jeeno said. "That way we can learn about each other's Christmas customs! Oh, this really _will_ be the best Christmas ever!"

"Christmas?" a dark voice growled. "Did someone say _Christmas?_"

Standing in the doorway was a tall, thin man in his sixties. With his long nose, sharp face, stern features, and thinning gray hair swept in wingtips, he looked like a kind of hawkish gargoyle. He wore a fine pinstripe suit, but his dapper attire was offset by the bottle of brandy in one hand and the reddish flush on his face. The smell of liquor didn't improve his image either.

"So," Lord Daniel Squalor, the twelfth Earl of Bootle, growled, "you guys want to celebrate Christmas, huh? With all the happy caroling and the sledding and the church going and the gift giving? Well let me tell you, the whole thing is just utterly, completely, _detestably STUPID!_"

Squalor stomped his feet and screamed out, "Everything about Christmas makes me _sick!_ Kids demanding presents! Shitty songs being sung non-stop! Freezing snow everywhere! Stores clogged with idiot shoppers! And those stupid Christmas puddings! _Especially_ the Christmas puddings!"

He shook his bottle of brandy at the assembled so hard that some of it spilled out onto the floor, then he stumbled out, muttering something about how snow was evil and out to kill him.

"Well that was random," Aoi remarked.

"Christmas brings out all kinds, I see," Ken said, nodding his head as if this were something deeply profound.

* * *

As it was though, Ken was quite correct. At the bus stop in front of Auseuil, two stranger marched into the village. 

"So this is the place," said Shengde. "This is where my supposed fiancée is lurking around."

"What a dump," said Xinling as she looked around. "She'd better have a good reason for staying here."

"I don't care how crazy my family is; they wouldn't marry me off the a common girl. They told me she's rich and powerful."

"Than what's she doing here?"

"I don't know. She's probably hiding and needs a man's protection. I just know she's here."

Xinling rolled her eyes but didn't answer to that.

**_To be continued..._**


	3. Level 3: Christmas Tree

**_Kokushoku no Christmas!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

* * *

**Chapter III: Christmas Tree**

It was decided that the first order of business was to acquire a Christmas tree. Foncé and Ishtar volunteered, so Ken and Mistera had to come along.

"Why did you volunteer for this?" Ken asked Foncé as they tromped outside in the falling snow.

"Ishtar and I can cut things easily," Foncé answered. "Ishtar also agreed to help carry the tree back."

Ken looked at the slight, happy young girl walking not too far from them. "_Ishtar_ agreed? Whatever."

Foncé looked at the trees around them. "So we just cut one of these trees down and bring it back?"

"Right. We find a silver fir and cut it down, drag it back, and decorate it with Christmas ornaments."

"So the tradition is that we just decorate the tree?"

"We also stick presents under it too."

"Humans have interesting traditions…" Foncé muttered. She wondered if Princesa was reading up on this strange celebration. She thought it might be interesting to take some of the traditions back to the Ever Night Forest.

Ishtar dropped back to walk with Foncé and Ken. "Mistera said she'd look for the perfect tree," she chirped. "She has a good eye for aesthetics. So what's this holiday to you, Ken?"

"What's Christmas to me?" he asked rhetorically. "Well, Christmas isn't a holiday in Japan. It's just a day where people give each other presents and eat Christmas cake. Before that though is Christmas Eve. That's the day for lovers to kiss under a parasitic, poisonous plant called mistletoe, exchange special gifts, go on dates in upscale restaurants, and take romantic strolls amid flashing red and green Christmas lights."

He sighed wistfully and began daydreaming.

* * *

She sat across the table from me, the only illumination coming from candlelight and the soft red and green bulbs above. She looked positively radiant in her red and green Christmas outfit. I gazed into Miss Hachiya's big chestnut eyes and smiled. "Did you like the Christmas cake?" I asked. 

"It was lovely, Mr. Bak," she replied with an enchanting little smile.

"Please, call me Ken," I replied. "There's no need to be so formal with me now."

"As long as you call me Midori."

"Of course…Midori."

I looked up and noticed that familiar green plant with the red berries hanging over us. "Hey, mistletoe."

Midori smiled impishly. "You know what that means, don't you Ken?"

She puckered her small, soft lips for a kiss and leaned forward. My heart pounding with excitement, I leaned forward to meet her soft kiss…

* * *

Ken grinned and blushed, rubbing his arms together. "Yeah, that would be nice." 

"Christmas Eve," Foncé mused. She liked the sound of that day, and she tried to imagine what it would be like…

* * *

"This Christmas cake is marvelous Ken," I said after tasting a piece of the green, tree-shaped cake between us. 

"I sure hope so," Ken chuckled. "I spared no expense in getting a reservation here."

I looked up and saw a twitching human form dangling from the ceiling, beautiful, poisonous red blossoms blooming all over her ravaged body.

"The mistletoe is wonderful," I said. "A beautiful living death."

"It's especially beautiful when nourished on the blood of your enemies," Ken remarked.

"It hangs over us most alluringly," I said, turning away as I blushed. "Such a romantic bloom, but it's only for lovers."

Foncé," Ken said as he took my little ivory hand, his eyes shining, "I don't care if you look like a child; you're an adult on the inside, a wise, beautiful woman. Foncé, I—I love you."

My eyes widened as a smiled crept over my face. "Ken, I love you too. I shall become queen of the World of Devils just to make you my king."

Ken leaned toward me, his lips all aquiver in anticipation of a kiss. I leaned toward him, eager to accept his warm kiss…

* * *

Foncé looked away as she blushed a deep red. "How romantic," she whispered. 

"Christmas Eve…" Ishtar said to herself.

* * *

My Mistress smirked wickedly when she saw my strange condition. "I see it's been growing quite well," she said. 

My head itched where the mistletoe had taken root. The long stalk sprouted from the very top of my head and terminated into a gorgeous red blossom. I didn't mind the itchiness as long as my Mistress was pleased by it.

I bowed, the mistletoe bouncing in time with the movement of my head. "The seed you planted in my head marks me as yours forever now, Mistress."

"Yes, you're all mine now," she said with a greedy gleam in her eye. She then pulled a green cake out and set on the table before me. "Now here's a reward for my favorite servant!"

"Oh thank you Mistress!" I exclaimed, and I leaned over to get my fork. The mistletoe dangled and bobbed as I did.

"Oh look," said Mistress. "With that mistletoe always hanging above your head I now get to kiss you whenever I want. Would you like that, Ishtar?"

Tears of happiness fell from my eyes. "Oh, yes Mistress! I had no idea you felt that way about me! Mistress, I love you!"

She grabbed my hand roughly and pressed a finger to my lips. "Be quiet my pet, and just kiss me…"

I leaned down to press my lips against her…

* * *

"I never knew being infested by a parasitic, poisonous plant could be so wonderful!" Ishtar gushed happily to no one in particular. 

Mistera popped out from behind a tree. "I found a good one," she said. "Now who's going to chop it down?"

"Leave that to us, Miss Cellini," said Foncé. "Ken, open the book."

Ken brought the dark purple book out. "I don't know about this Foncé; I haven't even gone though a fourth of your new spells yet."

"No worries Ken. I know all of my spells. Now say 'Lade Dirasu Anheiruga'."

_Here goes nothing,_ Ken thought, and shouted, "_Lade Dirasu Anheiruga!_"

Foncé held out her hands and black energy poured out from them and gathered into the air above her. It condensed itself, taking the form of a large circular black saw blade. Black energy crackled around it as it spun in midair so fast it was a blur.

"Sweet!" Ken whistled. "We can cut people in half with that thing!"

"Everyone stand back," Foncé commanded. "I have perfect control over this blade but I don't want anyone getting hurt. Now, where's that tree?"

Mistera, staring in horror at the magical saw, pointed tremblingly at a beautiful silver fir nearby. "Please be careful in cutting it down," she whimpered.

"One Christmas tree coming right up!" Foncé called, and with the flick her of wrist Lade Dirasu Anheiruga went soaring toward the tree. With a few deft movements with her fingers, the blade sawed cleanly through the tree's base. Foncé then opened her hand and the blade suddenly vanished. The tree then toppled over with a crash.

"It's good to have you back, Lade Dirasu Anheiruga!" Foncé said. "Now to get this tree back to the castle…"

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: Japanese Christmas cake isn't actually green and doesn't resemble a tree in any way. It's a sponge cake frosted with white whipped cream and decorated with strawberries and Christmas chocolates. Foncé and Ishtar just confused the idea of Christmas cake with Christmas trees._


	4. Level 4: The Stranger

**_Kokushoku no Christmas!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zorcu, Jeeno, Zero, and Arisha are property of Rahkshi500._

* * *

**Chapter IV: The Stranger**

Princesa and Aoi were sitting across from each other in the sitting room. It had been decided that Aoi would be in charge of getting the Devils to find appropriate gifts.

"Okay," said Aoi, "not counting the servants we have thirteen people here. If we all give each other one present then that means I'll get thirteen presents! Hooray! I'll go write up my list now!"

"Not so fast," Princesa said dryly. "There are some flaws in your reasoning. You did not factor in how Squalor most likely will not participate in gift giving, so that is one present less for you. Then there are Yadau and Griffon who do not have money to spend on Christmas gifts, so that is two less presents. Then you have to consider the fact that you are not likely to find what you want in a small, remote village such as Auseuil in the first place, so even if everyone went out to shop there would be little to buy in the first place."

The look on Aoi's face was positively crestfallen. "You take pleasure in telling me this, don't you?" she asked bitterly.

"I am merely pointing out potential problems," Princesa answered.

Aoi leaned her head back and stared up at the ceiling. "This is gonna be the worst Christmas ever!" she moaned.

* * *

Foncé thought that a Christmas play of some kind put on for the people of Auseuil would reflect well on them, and because Imité was no stranger to drama she felt that he should be in charge of the play. Fouché suggested that the play be about the birth of Christ, and Imité figured he could do that after finding out what the story behind the birth of Christ was. So he found a table and chair to read a summery of the Nativity.

He was now having second thoughts.

_So some kid is born in a manger,_ he thought. _Big deal! There's next to nothing to work with here! This is one of the lamest stories I've ever read!_

"Everything going alright?" a voice asked right into his ear.

Imité nearly jumped out of his seat in shock and turned around. He found himself facing a smiling Fouché. "Fine," Imité, trying to will his heart to be still. "I just need a little inspiration for this. Do you have any other Christmas stories for me to look at?"

"I have some films on D.V.D.," said Fouché. "You're welcome to go watch them."

Imité smiled and rubbed his hands together. "Great! Just point out the Christmas films and I'll pay close attention!"

Fouché brought Imité to the entertainment room. Imité observed the large wall-mounted television and the large, greatly impressed. He was glad that he would get to study the films with such a top-of-the-line entertainment system.

"Let's see," Fouché mumbled as he went through a polished wooden cabinet of D.V.D. boxes. "Ah, here we go! _L'Étrange Noël de Monsieur Jack_, _Le Grinch_, and _Le Père Noël Conquit Mars_. I think these are fun films. Maybe they'll put you in the right spirit."

"Let's hope so," Imité said as he inserted _L'Étrange Noël de Monsieur Jack_ into the D.V.D. player.

* * *

"I can't thank Lord Fouché enough for letting us use his computer," said Jeeno as she got onto the Internet with the diminutive castellan's computer. Zorcu stood behind her, peering over her shoulder.

"What are you looking for?" he asked.

"You'll see," she answered simply, and entered a Web site called _Wikipedia_. She ran a search on the word _Noël_, and got out of her seat.

"Sit down Zorcu," she urged. "This will tell you all you need to know about Christmas."

Zorcu sat down and read the first paragraph out loud. "Christmas is a Christian religious festival annually celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, commemorated by special church services, the exchanging of gifts, and wishes. Christmas is also a public holiday in many countries of Christian tradition, which falls on 25 December in the countries of Catholic or Protestant tradition, and on 7 January in countries of orthodox tradition."

"That's it," said Jeeno. "Just read the article and clink on any links to other articles for further clarifications." She then turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Zorcu asked.

"I'm going to help Aoi look for Christmas gifts," she replied, opening the door to leave. "I promise all your questions about Christmas can be answered by _Wikipedia_. Have fun!"

She closed the door and Zorcu turned back to the screen. He found that the _Wikipedia_ article was split into sections covering etymology, precedence, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the origins of the Christmas festival, contemporary symbols, common wishes and greetings, and the sociological and economics aspects of Christmas. It was a long article, filled with unfamiliar terms and expressions. After he finished reading he went to read up on things like Jesus Christ and Father Christmas. To his despair he found that those articles were also very detailed and extensive.

"This is going to be a long day," he sighed to himself. "A _very_ long day."

* * *

There was a fierce rapping at the front door, and Fouché's servant, Dupont, opened it to find a girl and an oddly dressed boy standing outside. "May I help you?" Dupont asked.

"Is there a female named Foncé Ying here?" the boy asked.

* * *

Foncé opened a back door and shouted, "We have the Christmas tree!"

She, Ken, Ishtar, and Mistera entered, followed by a hulking man with hairless, bright yellow skin and a head devoid of any features save for a single enlarged black eye in the very center of the face and two flat ears on the sides of the head. The tree was slung across the creature's back.

"Okay Kyklops," Ishtar said, "set the tree into the Christmas tree holder here and screw in the blots."

Kyklops silently did as its mistress commanded, quickly and efficiently.

"Good!" Ishtar complimented. "Now follow us and take the tree with you, but be careful! Don't damage the tree!"

They lead Kyklops to the sitting room. "Put the tree down in the corner there," Ishtar told the creature, "and you're done for the day!"

The beast complied, carefully setting the tree down in an unused corner of the room.

"Good Kyklops!" Ishtar said. She produced a featureless black card from under her robe and held it out to Kyklops. "Now return to your card and await your mistress' call!"

Kyklops looked at the card, then suddenly dissolved into yellow mist. The mist flowed into Ishtar's black card, which then filled with color, and a picture of Kyklops appeared on the front of the card.

"Back into the bag with the rest of your friends," Ishtar said as she took the card back under her robe.

Princesa then walked into the sitting room. "Ah, Foncé," she said. "Fouché's servant wishes to see you. He is at the front door."

"Thank you Princesa," Foncé said. She and Ken walked over to the front door area.

"Miss Ying," said Dupont, "there are some people outside for you."

"People to see me?" Foncé said. She frowned, hoping that it wasn't Zero, Arisha, or Désaxé waiting outside for her. Sure, Désaxé had helped her gain a new spell and taught her about gaining new spells easily, but the girl was utterly mad and there was no telling what her true objectives were.

She cautiously opened the door, then inwardly let out a sigh of relief. The boy and girl outside may have obviously been a Devil pair, but they weren't familiar to her. The boy was an arrogant-looking youth of about twelve with long, spiky black hair wearing a black long sleeved shirt and trousers, both with gold trim. The girl next to him was Oriental and looked to be about Ken's age with long light brown hair and an attractive figure.

"I am Foncé of Clan Ying," Foncé said politely. "May I help you?"

"I'm Shengde of Clan Han," the boy replied with what sounded to Foncé like disappointment. He glanced at Foncé and sighed. "Great; they stuck me with a little kid."

"Pardon me?" Foncé asked.

"Your parents didn't tell you?" asked Shengde with some amusement. "I'm your fiancé. We're supposed to get married."

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: Zorcu was reading the French language _Wikipedia_ for those wondering. The opening paragraph he reads is a translation of the one on the French Christmas article. Here it is in the original French:_

_Noël est une_ _fête religieuse chrétienne_ _ célébrant chaque année la naissance de Jésus-Christ, commémorée par des offices religieux spéciaux, des échanges de cadeaux et de voeux. Noël est aussi un jour férié dans de nombreux pays de tradition chrétienne, qui tombe le_ _25 décembre_ _ dans les pays de tradition catholique ou protestante, et le 7 janvier dans les pays de tradition orthodoxe._

_You can figure out which Christmas-themed films Imité was watching even with the French titles, right?_

_Please read and review!_


	5. Level 5: Creature of the Night

**黒色のクリスマス!**

**_Kokushoku no Christmas!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Jeeno is property of Rahkshi500._

_"Touch-A Touch-A Touch Me" is property of Richard O'Brian._

* * *

**Level 5: クリーチャー・オブ・ザ・ナイト**

**Level 5: Creature of the Night**

_I was feeling done in._

_Couldn't win. _

_I'd only ever kissed before._

The words hit Aoi like a bolt from the blue. Her nimble fingers quickly turned the sound up on her little blue M.P.3 player. It contained the entire soundtrack of one of her all-time favorite films, _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_, and it just started playing one of her favorite songs on the entire album, "Touch-A Touch-A Touch Me".

For the last half-hour or so, Aoi and Jeeno had been exploring Auseuil's stores in hope of finding Christmas presents. There wasn't much to look at in Auseuil, and Aoi had been loosing all hope that there would be any gifts that year. Jeeno remained optimistic, but Aoi decided that that was because the girl was just an ignorant hayseed. That opinion increased when they looked around the store they were currently in. Jeeno was charmed by all the silly woodcarvings, but Aoi couldn't have been more bored.

What was the point of staying in Auseuil any longer anyway? Foncé found what she was looking for. They could all just head back for Paris and have a comfortable Christmas in a posh hotel. It seemed that Mistera had more than enough money to take care of them for a very long time. Why did they need to stay in a dump like Auseuil?

Aoi stopped looking at the shelves and concentrated on her music and the familiar crooning of Susan Sarandon with contribution from Patricia Quinn and Little Nell Campbell for good measure.

_I thought there's no use getting_

_Into heavy petting._

_It only leads to trouble_

_And seat wetting._

_Now all I want to know_

_Is how to go._

_I've tasted blood and I want more…_

_More, more, more!_

_I'll put up no resistance._

_I want to stay the distance._

_I've got an itch to scratch._

_I need assistance!_

_Touch-a touch-a touch-a touch me!_

_I wanna be dirty!_

_Thrill me, chill me, fulfill me!_

_Creature of the night!_

Aoi had always loved "Touch-A Touch-A Touch Me", but the words suddenly struck her in a way they never had before. She blushed and began to feel pleasantly hot, but the song continued.

_Then if anything grows_

_While you pose_

_I'll oil you up_

_And rub you down…_

_Down, down, down!_

_And that's just one small fraction_

_Of the main attraction!_

_You need a friendly hand,_

_And I need action!_

_Touch-a touch-a touch-a touch me!_

_I wanna be dirty!_

_Thrill me, chill me, fulfill me!_

_Creature of the night!_

_Touch-a touch-a touch-a touch me!_

_I wanna be dirty!_

_Thrill me, chill me, fulfill me!_

_Creature of the night!_

_Oh! Touch-a touch-a touch-a touch me!_

_I wanna be dirty!_

_Thrill me, chill me, fulfill me!_

_Creature of the night!_

Aoi's mind flashed back to the scene in the film when Sarandon imagined the faces of everyone she had met so far, but instead of seeing Peter Hinwood, Barry Bostwick, Tim Curry, Patricia Quinn, Richard O'Brian, and Little Nell Campbell, she saw the faces of her new friends and comrades leering lustfully down at her.

Imité: _Creature of the night!_

Princesa: _Creature of the night?_

Ken: _Creature of the night!_

Foncé: _Creature of the night!_

Squalor: _Creature of the night!_

Ishtar: _Creature of the night!_

Imité: _Creature of the night!_

_Creature of the night!_ Aoi was so worked up that she threw her arms out and sang the last line herself, nearly knocking some woodcarvings from their shelves and hitting Jeeno. She stood there, gasping for breath, her face flushed, her body hot. The chill she felt from the snow outside was gone entirely for that brief, lovely moment. She was so wrapped up in it that she at first didn't hear Jeeno calling her name.

"Are you alright Aoi?" Jeeno asked, a look of concern on her face. Aoi nearly burst out laughing at how worried she looked.

"I'm fine," she answered breathlessly. "Just…peachy!"

Jeeno stepped back from her. _Poor thing,_ Aoi thought giddily. _She must be pretty weirded out by how I look and sound right now!_

"Okay," Jeeno said slowly. "I'll just get back to looking around then."

"You do that," Aoi said as she walked over to an empty section of the store. She crossed her arms under her generous chest and a shiver of pleasure went through her. It had been a while since she had listened to her M.P.3 player, and "Touch-A Touch-A Touch Me" had taken on a very different meaning since getting off with Imité, a literal honest-to-god Creature of the Night. She had gotten off with Imité only the night before, and with that moment still fresh in her mind the song had a very powerful effect on her. Now she would never be able to listen to it again without being reminded of getting off with Imité.

She had to admit that she wasn't much of an innocent yet sex-starved Janet Weiss, and Imité definitely wasn't a big, buff, blond, dumb Rocky Horror. If anything, the flamboyant, sexily androgynous Imité would be Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the "sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania". And Aoi always though of herself as a bit of a Magenta.

But how many meaningful relationships did she have before meeting Imité? None that she could remember. Prior to the first time she met the young Creature of the Night seduction and sex were just tools at her disposal to aid in gathering money. She took no pleasure in seducing rich older men in the time before meeting Princesa and becoming the keeper of the royal purple book.; she had only been interested in the money. She had grown up a nameless urchin on the streets of Seville, with no one to reply on but herself. As she leaned to survive on her own, she realized that the only time she was truly happy was when she possessed money, and she own directed most of her energy into acquiring more of it though less than legal methods, mostly petty theft. Then she hit puberty, and when she grew up to be quite attractive she realized that she now had other ways to make money.

That was when she took the name Aoi, replacing the bland moniker of Juana she had given herself years ago so that people could refer to her somehow. She learned how to act seductive, to tease men with her looks and words until they were whipped into a frenzy of blind, stupid lust. In such a state they didn't care how much money she took, and Aoi was able to lead a comfortable, even posh, life. She could do what she always wanted to do: Eat large portions at expensive restaurants, travel the rest of Europe or even the whole world, sleep in huge beds. But Aoi wasn't stupid, and she took pains to make sure she remained as attractive and seductive as ever to support her new lifestyle.

Then one day she was introduced to the Devil Battle by Princesa the sand Devil. A whole new world of possibilities was opened up with the tremendous power the royal purple book gave her. She used that power to acquire even more money.

It was a few weeks later when she met Imité. She had been sitting at a tavern in Seville when he came in and started flirting with her. She had sensed something different about him, maybe the hints of darkness and cruelty below his beautiful exterior. Perhaps it was instinctual mutual respect between two ruthless predators. Whatever it was, it drove Aoi wild in a way she had never felt before, and before she knew it the two of them were getting off someplace private. For the first time in her life, Aoi had been manipulated, and she knew that she had to learn Imité's secrets.

Neither Princesa nor Squalor were happy about that, and insisted they battle. Aoi and Imité managed to convince them that they would benefit from working together though, and the two teams stuck together after that. Imité and Aoi would sneak off to get off in secret every once in a while. Aoi didn't think there was any real love between them, but she was fascinated by her new friend and he was a great kisser. It wasn't long before Aoi decided that she _wanted_ to love Imité, but during their last get-together he told her that they couldn't love each other because they would be permanently separated eventually.

_It'd be stupid and pointless. I'm a Devil. You're a human. We'd never be able to stay together, and even if I became king of the World of Devils and brought you with me you'd die of old age long before I show any sign of aging at all. So let's just continue being shallow._

Aoi knew it was ridiculous, but after Imité told her that she decided that she would seduce him, even if for only a few moments. She smiled to herself; Imité was a good seducer, but he hadn't seen what she was truly capable of yet.

"Aoi!" Jeeno called out. "I'm ready to go! What about you?"

"Sure!" Aoi called back, and walked to the entrance to leave.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: This chapter seems a bit random, doesn't it? That's because the chapter I originally had planned was written on a computer that was damaged, so I can't post that chapter for a long, long time. This will be my last chapter for a while for the same reason. I just had to get something up before my Christmas holiday though. I suppose this is my Christmas present for you guys then._

_For those not clear on the subject, "getting off" only refers to kissing and groping heavily. Aoi and Imité have not had sex._


	6. Level 6: Foncé’s Fiancé

**黒色のクリスマス!**

**_Kokushoku no Christmas!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zorcu and Jeeno is property of Rahkshi500._

* * *

**Level 6: フォンセのフィアンセ**

**Level 6: Foncé's Fiancé**

_Why?_ thought Foncé. _Why didn't I know about this? Why wasn't I informed that I had a fiancé?_

She glared at the boy sitting insolently on the couch in front of her, peering lazily at the room around him, his partner sitting upright next to him. The others—minus Squalor, Aoi, and Jeeno—stood around anxiously.

_Who does this boy think he is?_ Foncé thought about their greeting a few moments earlier…

* * *

"I am Foncé of Clan Ying," I said. "May I help you?" 

"I'm Shengde of Clan Han," he said, his face suddenly falling in disappointment. Then he looked at me and said, "Great; they stuck me with a little kid."

I was confused. "Pardon me?" I asked.

"Your parents didn't tell you?" he asked. "I'm your fiancé. We're supposed to get married."

My eyes grew wide. "Fiancé?" I whispered.

"What?!" Ken demanded. "_Married?!_"

"Our parents declared that we are to be wed," said Shengde.

I felt dizzy, confused. I couldn't move; I just stared in stupid surprise at that boy, hardly believing it. It was utterly surreal for a complete stranger to walk up and tell me that we were going to be married. Ordinarily I'd dismiss it as the nonsense of a love struck fool, but if he came from a powerful clan like I did then there was a definite possibility that he was telling the truth. But the fact that I hadn't been told by my own parents…

"Can we come in?" his partner asked, shivering in the cold. "It's snowing out here, in case you haven't noticed!"

"Come in," I said numbly after a moment.

* * *

"A long time ago," Shengde said, "someone from my clan married into yours, and neither of our clans forgot about that link. Even though Clan Ying is made up of Creatures of the Night, feelings are still good between our clans. So the current clan leaders decided that we should have another marriage between our clans again." 

"Is that so?" Foncé asked, her eyes turning to Imité. "You didn't happen to know about this, did you _frangin_?" Her voice was icy.

Imité fidgeted nervously, refusing to meet her gaze. "Erm, yes, actually," he mumbled.

"And why didn't you tell me about this little arrangement?" she asked, her tone turning deadly.

Imité looked down at his shifting feet. "Father wanted to keep it a surprise. He thought that would make it more exciting for you."

"And when was the marriage to take place?" Foncé asked.

"A few years, I think."

"Wait a minute," said Ken. "How did you even find Foncé in the first place? Auseuil is pretty remote."

"That wasn't too hard for us," Shengde said. "I heard Foncé was in the Battle, but I had no idea where she was. But then a few days ago I felt a tremendous surge of dark power leading to this spot. Every Devil able to sense the power of other Devils left in the Battle must've felt it, but only ones with very rich partners can get to this place. And _my_ partner is loaded."

Foncé realized that the surge of dark energy must have been Serpenté's awakening.

If every Devil capable of sensing the power of other Devils was able to feel that…then how many more will be drawn here? Just Shengde? Or will others come? Did I put my comrades in danger?

"That explains how you got here," said Ken. "But how did you know Foncé would be here?"

"A really good guess," Shengde replied. "Only ten Creatures of the Night are allowed to participate in the Devil Battle, and there can't be many dark Devils running around. Chances were that such a dark power belonged to a member of the famed Ying clan, right? I figured that it was either Foncé or one of her relatives."

Shengde got off the couch. "And now that I'm here, you don't have to worry any more Foncé." He took her hands into his own. "You may just be a little girl, but I swore to protect all women, and that includes you my little bride."

Foncé pulled her hands away. "Don't touch me," she said crossly.

"Aw, don't be shy baby," Shengde said with a roguish smile. "I can tell, you're gonna be beautiful when you get a little older. I'll protect you from the other scary Devils and we can get to know each other better."

Foncé scooted away from Shengde. "I have all the protection I need now."

"I can't let a lady go undefended and unprotected," Shengde pressed.

"I don't need your help," Foncé said, her voice growing harder. She was really beginning to dislike this boy.

"Shengde," his partner said with a note of annoyance, "let it go, okay?"

"A lady shouldn't be without the company of a gentleman," Shengde insisted.

Zorcu suddenly grabbed Shengde by his wrist. "Didn't you hear her? She said she doesn't need your help," he said quietly. "So back off."

Shengde yanked his hand away from Zorcu. "Oh, I see where this is going!" he said. "You're gonna accuse me of being prejudiced against the Creatures! Well let me tell you, I respect the Creatures, but you've got a culture that's all nihilistic and creepy, and your partners have to have dark, evil hearts! I don't care what the bleeding hearts say, that's messed up!"

Zorcu stared at Shengde in total disbelief. He had heard many anti-Creature of the Night sentiments before, but what Shengde just said was hands-down the strangest, most insane thing he had ever heard.

"What the _fuck_ are you blabbering about?" Zorcu demanded.

Shengde's partner covered her face. "Here we go again," she sighed.

Ishtar come forth. "Look, you're just making Foncé upset," she said with a frown. "It would be best for you to leave. You two aren't going to get married yet anyway."

Shengde pointed an accusing finger at Ishtar. "_Ah ha!_ Caught in the act! You were about to call me sexist, weren't you?"

Ishtar looked baffled. "What? I was just—"

"You bleeding hearts are all the same!" Shengde wailed. "Always accusing me of being sexist just because I'm a gentleman who treats the ladies with respect! I hold the door open for women and let them go first every time, but you feminists say I'm sexist for that!"

Now it was Ishtar's turn to stare at Shengde in disbelief. "That's…not was I was going to say at all," she whispered.

Imité stepped forward. "Alright you little bastard," he seethed. "We've concluded that you're not fit to walk on the same ground as Foncé, let alone marry her. Get out right now."

Shengde turned on Imité. He took one look at him, and said, "Oh, now _this_ is who you should be calling sexist!"

"What?" asked Imité, wondering what mad rant would be coming now.

"It's as plain as day that you love men and hate women!" Shengde spat. "Yeah, I can tell you're a real woman-hater alright!"

Imité's blood boiled with rage now. "I love my sister more than anyone else, you stupid clown!" he nearly screamed.

"Woman-hater," Shengde repeated. "I feel sorry for Foncé, being related to a woman-hating pervert. I bet you prey on little boys, don't you? I'm glad my little brother isn't in the Battle—it makes be sick just thinking that you might've run into him."

Imité's eyes now bulged. He ground his teeth together in anger so hard that it was a wonder his teeth didn't fuse into a single dense plate of calcium.

Princesa, who had been leaning quietly in a corner, began to titer softly.

"Are you laughing at me?" Shengde yelled.

"A little, perhaps," she answered.

"Laugh while you can, you arrogant, intellectual, _elitist_ scientist!" he cried. "You'll be proven wrong in the end! Scientists always are!"

"Oh my," said Princesa, trying hard not to laugh and not entirely succeeding. "I am an archeologist, but you made a very good guess at my profession. How did you know?"

"Because you intellectual bullies _always_ laugh at me!"

"_Enough!_" Foncé suddenly yelled. She whirled on Shengde with a murderous glint. "Outside! _Now!_ You've insulted my friends and insist on treating me like I belong to you! Ken! Get the book! It's been far too long since we've had a battle! If he resists we'll kill his partner!"

"Look, I'm sorry my Devil's a total idiot!" Shengde's partner pleaded. "Please, don't kill me!"

"Whose side are you on?!" Shengde demanded.

"Do I feel hatred in the air?" asked Yadau as he suddenly stepped into the sitting room, followed by Griffon. "I thought I did. How I love that feeling. So, Lady Serpenté, you're going to burn a book?"

"Yes," Foncé growled. "Care to help?"

"Who are you guys?" Shengde asked.

"Oh, but wouldn't a fight now ruin the Christmas spirit?" Yadau asked. "It would be very messy right now. Why not wait a little?"

"We're not spending another moment with this fool," Foncé stated.

"I think you should reconsider, Lady Serpenté," said Yadau. "A fight right now would spoil the Christmas atmosphere. Learn to tolerate each other until Christmas day. What do you say?"

"I say we kill him," Zorcu stated bluntly.

"Kill him!" Ishtar repeated, with more malice in her voice than Foncé had ever heard from her before.

"Kill the damn fool!" Imité snarled.

"Take him hostage so he can entertain me," said Princesa with her usual unstated smile. "I find him very amusing."

Foncé was about to agree to killing Shengde right then and there because keeping him around would ruin the Christmas she was trying to create far more than a little temporary violence would, but then she noticed Yadau's eyes. They had an odd narrowed look to them than strangely resembled a smile. She knew that look, and she knew that he knew she knew that look.

Grudgingly, she turned back to Shengde. "Alright," she said, her face stony, "I'll wait until Christmas day to decide how to deal with you. I'm trying hard to make this an enjoyable time for my friends and I don't want to risk ruining what work we've done in a battle with you."

"Good choice, my fair maiden," Shengde said cheerfully. "My formidable prowess would leave your pretty book in glowing embers very quickly anyway."

Foncé gritted her teeth, trying to suppress any harsh language while her comrades—minus Princesa that is—voiced their unhappiness behind her.

"Now if you excuse me," she said as calmly as possible while she left to Yadau's side, "I have some business to attend to with Mr. Yadau. Han, I hope you found a place to stay before hand."

"He can stay here," Princesa suggested, smiling evilly at Ishtar, Imité, and Zorcu, whose eyes widened with terror.

"Talk to Lord Fouché," Foncé said dismissively as she left with Yadau and Griffon.

"So," Princesa said, turning to Shengde, "what is your opinion on the people who feel that the Devil Battle is cruel and unusual?"

"Such people are decadent fools who hate the World of Devils and want it destroyed!" Shengde thundered. "I hate them all!"

Ishtar, Imité, and Zorcu all piled out of the room before they could hear any more.

* * *

Foncé, Yadau, and Griffon passed down the halls quiet of Châteaux de Fouché, Griffon admiring portraits of his own descendents. 

"You're not the type to care so much about a human holiday like Christmas," Foncé said. "Is there something I should know, Mr. Yadau?"

Yadau smiled knowingly. "So you still notice these things after all these years, Lade Serpenté. Excellent!"

"So what is this all about? I trust you have a good reason not to burn that lout's book now."

"I suggest that you sharpen your skills a bit while in this area. Just think of that boy as special practice. I will summon An'uuto for you to practice on if you wish, but I sense that that boy is fairly powerful. He will be a test before we leave this place."

"Well," said Foncé, "I do need to adjust to my old spells again, and I haven't used them on living targets yet…"

"Exactly, Lady Serpenté," Yadau replied. "You need to be in top shape to win the Devil Battle. It wouldn't be wise to just march into Battle without knowing yourself."

"Very well," Foncé answered. "We'll train tonight and tomorrow morning for now and decide on other times to train later."

"Good, good," said Yadau. "Perhaps Griffon could train your bookkeeper a little too. He needs to be in shape as well."

"I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

"We're back!" Jeeno called as she and Aoi stepped inside the castle and entered the sitting room. 

"You are just in time," Princesa said to them as they entered. "A very funny boy dropped by give his political opinions. Go ahead and give him one of your opinions."

Jeeno and Aoi looked blankly at Shengde sitting on the couch. "Er," Jeeno began, rather puzzled, "I believe in…world peace?"

"Oh yeah!" Shengde moaned. "World peace! That's just great! Especially to evil dictators! By the way, I was being sarcastic there."

"Well _duh_," said Aoi, rolling her eyes.

"Is he not the funniest?" Princesa asked.

"Hilarious," Aoi muttered as she left for her room.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: I'm sorry this chapter took so long. My computer had major problems and this file was lost for the longest time. _


	7. Level 7: Her Reason

**黒色のクリスマス!**

**_Kokushoku no Christmas!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

* * *

**Level 7: 彼女の理由**

**Level 7: Her Reason**

Ishtar joined Imité in the entertainment room, where the young dark Devil had resumed watching Fouché's Christmas films. Fouché's large television screen depicted a green-furred man sneaking about in a curious red costume with white trim. Imité would glance at the screen every once in a while, and then furiously scribble notes down in a notebook.

"What are you doing?" Ishtar asked, taking a seat next to Imité.

"Watching something called _Le Grinch_ as inspiration for my Christmas play," Imité answered distractedly as he wrote something else down. "Apparently humans pray to a god called 'Father Christmas' so that he'll deliver presents to them on the night before Christmas. Apparently evil spirits want to usurp Father Christmas because this is the second story involving a strange creature impersonating him for ill gain."

"Oh." Ishtar scooted closer to Imité and blushed. "Imité, can I ask you something?"

"I don't know," he answered. "I'm trying to pay attention to these motion pictures for my play."

"Wait, is this play on Christmas?"

"Yes, it certainly is. That's why it's a _Christmas_ play."

"But Christmas is just a days off now. How are you going to train actors so quickly?"

"It won't be too long," he said. "My actors won't have to memorize too many lines. Now what were you going to ask me?"

"Well…" Ishtar bit her lip.

"Well what?"

Ishtar fell silent. What could she say? How would Imité react when he learned that she was in love with his sister? Ishtar felt that Imité deserved to know, but what if he got angry? It was clear that Imité was very loving and protective toward Foncé. "I…I'm in love with your sister, Imité!" Ishtar finally blurted out.

"Oh really?" Imité replied nonchalantly, his eyes not moving from the screen.

"I mean, I'm _desperately_ in love with her," Ishtar continued. "I'd do _anything_ for Foncé!"

"I see," he responded. "That's very sweet of you. I'm sure she appreciates your loyalty."

Ishtar stared at Imité. Did he hear her correctly? Was he even really listening to her? "It's…okay with you that I'm madly in love with Foncé?" she asked cautiously.

Imité sighed, then he hit the pause button and turned to her. "Sweetie," he said gently, "Foncé's thousands of years old. She can make her own decisions without me. I know it seems strange, but her mind is essentially that of an adult's. I mean, it's really shocking to me that the girl who I thought was my little sister turned out to be an ancient messiah of darkness. That's why we follow her. That and because she's more powerful than the rest of us put together. If you want to tell someone, tell her."

"She knows already," Ishtar answered, a little more sharply than she intended. "Well, I haven't come out and told her that I love her yet, but I haven't been very subtle about either. I _want_ to tell her and present her with a special gift for Christmas, but I'm afraid! I don't know what I should do for her, and I'm afraid she'll reject me! So I came to you to see if you had any ideas of what I should do for her."

"You're the fortune teller," said Imité; "shouldn't you know the answer to that already?"

"It's not that easy," she said. "When I look to that sort of thing I get abstract answers. A week or so before I had a vision of Foncé being eaten by a black snake, but I didn't know what that meant until very recently."

"Did you see anything recently?"

"Yes I did actually," Ishtar confirmed. "I saw images of Ken, of Foncé standing some distance away from a group of children, and of me."

"Of you?"

"It's not what you think. It's hard to explain to someone who doesn't regularly have visions, but there were different feelings attached to each image. The ones of Ken were filled with a sense affection and longing, so I take that as a sign she has feelings for him. The ones of me though are different and harder to figure out. They carried a sense of longing too; not for me _per se_, but for some _quality_ of mine. She wants _something_ from me, but I don't know what."

"And the group of children?"

"A feeling of separation, I think. I didn't really understand. That's one of the reasons why I came to you—I want to know more about Foncé's past. Or at least the past you know about."

"Well, Foncé spent all her life—her current life that is—in the Ever Night Forest and the Devil Academy. While she showed a remarkable intelligence and maturity for her age, nothing really incredible happened to her back then. She was privileged, smart, and ambitious. That's all that can really be said about her past to the extent that I know."

"Oh," said Ishtar, disappointed. "Well thanks for the help. I guess that's all I needed. I kept you away from your work long enough."

She got up and turned to leave. She was a step away from the door when Imité said, "Hey."

Ishtar turned around to him. "Yes?" she asked.

Imité smiled rakishly at her. "I hope you win her heart," he said. "I think you two would make a cute couple."

Ishtar blushed and smiled. "You…really think so?"

"I _know_ so," Imité replied as he turned back to the screen and resumed the film.

Ishtar smiled softly, and left the room. "Thank you Imité," she whispered.

* * *

"God, I hate Christmas," Squalor slurred to himself as he lay upon his bed, a bottle of brandy in his hand. A few empty bottles were scattered about carelessly upon the floor. "I hate the lights, I hate the food, I hate the adverts, I hate the shoppers, I hate the brats, I hate the trees, I _especially_ hate the noise…"

He punched the wall with a loud _crack_, not minding the pain now shooting up his arm or the blood running from his large hairy knuckles.

"_BUT WHAT I HATE MOST OF ALL IS THAT IT REMINDS ME OF YOU, BEATRICE!_" he yelled with sudden ferocity, and hurled the spent bottle into to wall where it shattered into hundreds of glittering pieces. He stared at the shards, his breathing quick and ragged, then turned away, grumbling to himself. It was times like these when he just wanted the entire world to catch fire.

"_Beatrice,_" he whispered under his breath.

He was jolted out of his thoughts when he heard a sharp rapping at the door. "This is Dupont," came a voice from behind the door. "Is everything alright in there, sir? I thought I heard screaming and glass—"

"Of course you heard that!" Squalor snapped. "I dropped a bottle and it broke. Now come in and clean it up!"

The door opened and Dupont entered. "Of course, sir," the elderly butler deferred.

**_To be continued..._**


End file.
